Snowboarding the Palouse
Intro: As you may have noticed, Pullman is in the middle of no where, and supposedly the center of everything else. This motto has no truth in terms of snow sports as all the ski resorts are far away. However, I will provide all the info to make sure you score that pow day you deserve. Lift Tickets/Transportation/Gear Rentals: '''If you are an avid rider you probably already have a season's pass that you got on a spring sale. If that is not the case keep an eye out for deals on lift tickets through the Outdoor Recreation Center. In years past, lookout has offered screaming deals such as a season pass for $99! They also frequently offer discounts on lift tickets to Silver Mtn and Schweitzer. If you don't have a car, the ORC will periodically run transportation to local resorts for $20. The ORC also offers gear rentals as does U of I. Another option is to utilize the WSU outdoor recreation pages on Facebook. The most active one is currently "Washington State Outing Club". '''Local '''Ski Resorts: '''The closest resorts are Schweitzer Mountain (2 hr 58 min drive), 49 Degrees Norths (2 hr 39 min drive), Mt. Spokane (2 hr 20 min drive), Silver Mtn. (2 hr 15 min drive), Brundage Mountain (2 hr 58 min drive), Lookout Pass (2 hr 39 min drive), Bluewood (2 hr 1 min drive). To validate some of this information, I have been riding these resorts for 20+ years (Spokane native) so I have had time to see and experience what these resorts have to offer. Schweitzer and 49 Degrees North without a doubt have the best terrain to offer at the expense of a long drive and higher ticket prices. Both resorts get solid amounts of snow each year and would be the best choice for a pow day. Lookout Pass is an awesome resort for someone starting out or a killer pow day. Lookout gets pounded with snow and typically does not have that many experienced riders on the hill leaving an avid rider untouched tree lines. Keep in mind the resort is pretty small. Silver Mtn also has a lot of terrain to offer, however, the gondola ride and ending every single run on a cat track may get annoying to the frequent rider but makes for an awesome experience every once in a while. None the less, definitely worth checking out. It is also important to note that this resort typically stays open through April or later (Most resorts close first week of april). Mt. Spokane is moderately priced, somewhat close, and offers a decent amount of terrain. This resort has the best night skiing in the region for only $20. I have never personally been to Bluewood but have heard it is a fun little resort that is great for an introduction to the sport. I have also never ridden at Brundage but the WSU ski team rides there so its probably pretty good. My personal favorites are Schweitzer and 49 Degrees north. If money supersedes all other variables, Lookout will definitely be the cheapest. If hucking big tricks off massive jumps or sliding rails is your cup of tea then you should certainly pay a visit to Schweitzer. This resort has the best jumps in the region and a lot of technical rail options. 49 Degrees North is probably your second best option for terrain parks. The jump line is often real floaty and smooth and also has a fairly large rail arsenal set up. Mt Spokane kills the rail game but their jump line is always kind of week in my opinion. Silver mountain also has a decent park but probably not enough to keep you entertained all day. '''Other Resorts: '''The Pacific Northwest has some tons of resorts. I wont touch upon all but will list off a few that would be great for a multi-day ski trip that I think are worth the extra mileage and lift ticket prices. Whitefish Mountain Resort located approximately 5 hours away in a rad little ski town in Montana. The Beer is great, the pow is deep, and the people are all die hard skiers. Whitefish has a lot of steep terrain, cliff drops, and really deep snow if the time your trip right. Stevens Pass is also another option but the crowds are horrendous.